DEM – Simulation of Conveyor Transfer

Chutes
Franz Kessler Conveyor transfer stations are critical parts within the conveyor track. The
O. University Professor material has to be guided from the oncoming conveyor to the following
University of Leoben transport system. This is realized by using tranfer chutes, which have to be
Department of Conveying Technology and
Design Methods designed in such a way that dust, noise and wear are minimized. One of the
main tasks of the chute design process is to avoid blockages where the flow
Michael Prenner is hindered or obstructed due to build up of material in the chute.
Assistant Professor The investigations leading to a proper chute design are carried out by
University of Leoben
Department of Conveying Technology and experimental tests in the laboratory, with the aid of computer simulation
Design Methods programs. The presentation shows every single step to reach the optimum
chute design for each application.

Keywords: belt conveyor, transfer chute, material behaviour, computer

simulation.

1. INTRODUCTION containing the dust and noise emissions and preventing

their escape into the surrounding environment.
At transfer points of belt conveyors chutes are needed to
guide the material flow in the direction of travel of the
discharge belt conveyor and also provide an optimal
solution to overcome any existing vertical transfer
height.
In Figure 1, on the left, a transfer point is shown
where an oncoming belt conveyor drops the material
without any change of direction onto a following
conveyor. To protect the inside wall of the chute an
impact plate (18) is installed.
At the second transfer point (on the right in Figure
1) the direction of the material flow is changed by
approximately 90º (with the flow of the material now
either into or out of the page).
At these transfer points it is very important to guide Figure 2. Transfer chute – material flow in same direction
the material in such a way, that the material drops in the
centre of the belt. Material loading away from the belt In Figure 3, the material flow is guided around a 90°
centre is one of the main reasons for belt misalignment. corner. The small picture on the right shows the inside
of the chute. As mentioned before, centred belt loading
is very important for proper belt travel and alignment of
the discharge conveyor.

Figure 1. Transfer chutes

Some types of transfer stations are shown in the next

figures. In Figure 2, a transfer station is shown, where
the material flow does not change direction. This type of
transfer station can be seen very often in the mining
industry. The blue housing, in Figure 2, has the task of
Received: October 2009, Accepted: November 2009
Correspondence to: Dr Franz Kessler
Lehrstuhl Fördertechnik und Konstruktionslehre,
Franz-Josef-Strasse 18, A-8700 Leoben, Austria
E-mail: franz.kessler@mu-leoben.at
Figure 3. Transfer chute – material flow with changing
direction
A more complex chute is shown in Figure 4. This is a
variable path chute, which extends over a large vertical
distance and divides the material flow into three diverted
discharge points. The variable distribution is realized by
butterfly valves, which are able to be open or closed
inside the chute as the desired material flow dictates.

© Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Belgrade. All rights reserved FME Transactions (2009) 37, 185-192 185

Figure 4. Switchable transfer chutes
In this type of chute the cross-section must be
correctly designed, otherwise blockages such as
plugging occur and the flow of the material is obstructed.
Also packing is a serious problem in long chutes. If
plugging or packing appears, it is very difficult to clean
the chute and in preparation for further operation.
Similar long chutes designed to allow the variation
of the horizontal and vertical angles, can be found inside
of large stockyard equipment, such as stackers and/or
reclaimers (Fig. 5).
Figure 5. Transfer chutes for varying vertical and horizontal
angles of discharge belt
The optimization of chutes in Section 3 is related to
such long chutes as depicted here in Figures 4 and 5.
The three basic types of chutes outlined above, are
the rigid chute – with or without a change in material
flow direction (Figs. 2 and 3), the variable path – or
“switchable” – chute (Fig. 4), and the variable geometry
– or “pivot” – chute which allows for adjustability in
both the horizontal and vertical directions (Fig. 5).
If we optimize a chute, the material flow must be
taken into consideration. Due to the material flow
unwanted phenomena can appear which are mentioned
in Figure 6. These are described below.
Demands of chute design:
• avoid plugging and packing on impact points;
o choosing the right impact angle;
o sufficient cross-section for material flow;
o control of material flow;
• minimizing wear on liners;
o avoid sharp changes of flow direction;
o avoid creation of dust;
ƒ dust is created by mixing material with air
therefore, material should always remain
in contact with chute;
186 ▪ VOL. 37, No 4, 2009
ƒ concentration of material flow (small
cross-sectional area);
ƒ material speed should be constant inside
chute;
ƒ matching material flow at discharge point
ƒ airflow control inside chute;
• avoid spillage;
• minimization of material degradation;
o ex. small angle between material flow and
impact plate at impact point;
• load material on the centre of the discharge belt
at a uniform rate;
• load the material in the direction of belt travel
with same speed the belt is moving.
Figure 6. Transfer chutes
2. DISCRETE ELEMENT SIMULATION PROGRAM
EDEM OF DEMSOLUTIONS
In installations already built and in operation, many
problems occur regarding transfer cutes. This is because
they are designed either by rule of thumb or by
experience engineers gained over the years from
different installations. The results are expensive repairs
and costly maintenance. Each chute is unique and must
be designed very specifically. Also, full-scale testing is
not possible in most cases.
A useful tool in the design of optimum transfer
chutes are computer-simulation programs based on the
discrete element method (DEM) in connection with
computer aided design (CAD). Many simulation
programs for chute design are on the market, like Chute
Maven, Chute Analyst, EDEM from DEMsolutions as
well as others.
With the development of increasingly powerful
computers, DEM simulation becomes more and more
interesting and applicable for science and industry.
References [1-7] show a small outline of this
development.
In these simulation programs, particles of real bulk
solids are replaced by geometrical shapes like marbles
(spherical particles – discrete elements) with different
diameters. The interaction of each single spherical
particle to the neighbour particles, respectively the chute
liners is calculated. It is also possible for the simulation
to create more complex material geometries by
combining a number of spherical particles to one piece
as shown in Figure 7. The combined spherical particles
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can be covered by a wrapping surface to receive
particles with special optical appearance. These surfaces
have no influence on the calculations because only the
interaction between the spherical particles is taken into
consideration.
Figure 7. Particles in different shapes and colour
The result of the calculation can be a video clip
which shows the movement of the particles within the
chosen boundary geometries of the chute. In Figure 8, a
result of a bulk material simulation can be seen.
Figure 8. Flow behaviour of all kinds of bulk material
The computer program is also able to calculate
forces, tensions, vectors of movement etc. In this paper
we do not look at these parts of calculation.
When designing a chute, all the aforementioned
demands have to be taken into consideration to achieve
the following goals.
Goal is an optimum material flow with
• constant speed;
• low impact;
• low wear on chute lining and at discharge
location;
• low dust emission;
• low noise emission.
The simulation has to look at following components:
• feeding conveyor;
• impact plates and liners;
• rock box;
• dividing chute;
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• chute profile;
• discharge conveyor.
To reach these goals the simulation program needs
the following input data:
• geometry – (CAD) data of the transfer chute;
• parameters of the bulk material (grain size,
density, friction between particles, shear
modulus, Poisson’s ratio, cohesion, coefficient of
restitution, etc.);
• flow capacity, speed and geometry of the
conveyor’s;
• friction coefficient between bulk material and
chute components;
• etc.
In the event that all these data are not available in
the beginning experimental tests with the bulk material
and the chute inside wall material in the laboratory are
necessary and significant for useable simulation results.
3. EXPERIMENTAL TESTS
The above mentioned material parameters must be
investigated with experimental tests in the laboratory.
To obtain comparable test results, the test facilities as
well as the test procedures must be standardized. The
chair of Conveying Technology of the University of
Leoben, Austria is working on this project at the moment.
For example, the investigation of the friction
coefficient between the bulk material and the chute
liners shall be shown.
With the test facility in Figure 9, the friction
coefficient between the bulk material and the chute
liners can be measured. The measurement can be done
for each material depending on bulk material pressure
and material velocity.
Direction of travel
Bulk material container Chute wall material
Figure 9. Experimental tests – friction coefficient between
bulk material and chute components
The container is filled with bulk material. It is
possible to define the load on the material. The
container moves in horizontal direction over the chute
plate material with adjustable speed. A load sensor
measures the horizontal force which is set into relation
to the vertical force of the bulk material.
This leads to a coefficient of friction result that acts
as an input parameter for the simulation program. The
parameter gets adjusted by several simulations until the
simulation result matches with the experimental test.
This procedure is necessary because the real material
is replaced in the simulation program by spherical
particles.
Figure 10, shows a comparison between a laboratory
test and the result of a simulation program. From the
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laboratory test a video is taken and gets compared on
the computer screen with the simulation result. If the
videos do not match the input parameters are adjusted
until the results are the same. This enables the
calibration of the simulation program, allowing the
successful simulation of the complete chute system.

Figure 12. Comparison of simulation and laboratory test –

geometry of material after opening the discharge point

For further confirmation of the optimized chute

design, in some cases additional laboratory tests with a
scaled chute model are undertaken. (Figs. 13 and 14).

Figure 10. Comparison of simulation (left) and laboratory

test (right)

Figure 11, shows a similar procedure.

Figure 13. Scale model for comparison with simulation

Figure 11. Comparison of simulation and laboratory test

The behaviour of a coal sample with 6 % moisture

content is tested in the laboratory and the results are
compared with the computer simulation.
In Figure 12, the experiment of Figure 11 continues
by opening a discharge point. The material flow is
observed and a video is taken for the next comparison
with the simulation result.
These fundamental tests are necessary to find the
right input parameters for the simulation program.
If all comparisons between experimental tests and
simulations produce favourable results, the simulation
of the entire chute system can be undertaken. Now the
geometry data of the delivering conveyor and the
discharge conveyor, the belt speeds and capacities and
the space limitations inside the stacker or reclaimer are
loaded into the computer program and the chute design
can be modelled and simulated.
After several simulations, the chute model
approaches an optimized design with regards to the
throughput, wear, noise emission and dust emission.
Figure 14. Scale model for comparison with simulation
Therefore a scaled model of the chute is built using
plastics. These tests can lead to an additional
improvement of the chute and the engineer can make
corrections in the geometry input data of the program.
Figures 13 and 14 show scaled models of transfer
chutes made of clear plastics for further laboratory tests.
If the oncoming belt conveyor is operated at varying
belt speeds, the parabolic trajectory is also investigated
by experimental and numerical methods.
The results lead to a chute design which matches
with the material flow. Also the optimum location of

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impact point and angle of the impact plates are found by
conducting these analyses.
Figures 15 and 16 show a study of belt conveyors,
where belt speeds and material flow are varying during
operation. The chute has to be designed in such a way,
that every operating mode can be handled without any
functional problems.
Figure 15. Experimental test – parabolic trajectory
Figure 16. DEM-method – parabolic trajectory
The result of a computer simulation is a video clip,
where the particles change their colour, depending on
the speed. So it is easy to determine the material speed
in every section of the chute.
In Figure 16, the geometry of the chute and the
position of the impact plate are designed in such a way
that the discharge conveyor gets loaded in the centre in
all operating modes. Also material built up, wear, noise
and dust emission are also minimized.
4. OPTIMIZATION OF BELT CONVEYOR TRANSFER
CHUTES
In this section a few examples of transfer chute
optimization carried out by the chair of conveying
technology of the University of Leoben, Austria are shown.
Figure 17 shows the first design of a chute, which is
checked by the simulation program.
Figure 17. DEM-method – checking a first design
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After input of geometry data, belt speed, flow
capacity, and all parameters measured in the laboratory
it could be seen that a material build-up occurs at the
beginning of the chute which led, after a short time, to
plugging of the chute.
The installation of an impact plate could solve this
problem. Figure 17 on the right shows the result of the
improved chute design. The material build-up is
eliminated and the speed of the material flow is almost
constant over the entire length of the chute. This is the
aim of all chute design. Also an optimum airflow inside
the chute is realized, which keeps the dust emission very
low.
A further study is shown in Figures 18 and 19. The
task was to check an existing chute, which is currently
designed and dimensioned for a material capacity of
4000 t/h. The aim was to establish if an increase of the
capacity up to 6500 t/h is possible.
Figure 18. DEM-method – analysed chute at different
capacities and belt speeds
Figure 19. DEM-method – analysed chute at different
capacities and belt speeds
The critical cross-section prior to the discharge point
is located inside the swivel of the reclaimer. Due to this
geometrical limit the cross-section can not be designed
larger and the chute can handle the material flow only at
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dry condition. An increase in moisture content of the
material leads immediately to a material build-up
followed by a plugging of the chute.
Also, with a dry material present through the chute,
the belt speed of the discharge conveyor must increase
to prevent built-ups at the discharge point.
This information is very important for the operator
of the equipment. Now the limits of the chute are
known, the operator is able to adjust the belt speeds or
can react in an appropriate manner if problems occur.
The operator now has the knowledge and ability to
ensure problem-free operation.
The chute in Figure 20 has been optimized in
consideration of geometry data, capacity limits, speed
distribution, impact and airflow for dust control.
Figure 21. Analysed chute at desired capacity and belt
speeds using existing geometry

The next steps were the middle section followed by

the discharge section which leads the material onto the
discharge conveyor. At the discharge location it is
important to guide the material in such a way that
material speed matches with the belt speed. An
optimum result is shown in Figure 22.

Figure 20. Analysis of chute at different capacities and belt

speeds

The swivel of the chute, which is located inside a

reclaimer, was the critical section of the material
throughput because the maximum cross-sectional area
was limited by the surrounding stacker construction, the
chute geometry has to be changed in a way that the
material speed in this cross-section became as high as
possible.
Due to the higher speed of the material, an air flow
is created which eliminates the dust emission. The upper
section of the chute matches with the parabolic
trajectory and keeps the impact angle on the liners as
low as possible. Figure 22. Improvement of chute geometry to eliminate
Figure 21 also shows a result of a simulation where functional problems – material flow in new designed chute
after optimization
the limits of the chute are investigated.
It can be easily seen that the already existing chute is At the inlet of the chute, an insignificant decrease of
not able to handle a material capacity of 14,666 t/h and material speed occurs due to the limited space inside the
must be modified or even re-designed for the next reclaimer. The compromise is not bad because wear is
reclaimer. lowered this way.
The design for the new chute started out from the The speed distribution through the chute is, on
old chute design, because the geometrical limits average, constant and at the lower end of the chute an
around the chute given by the reclaimer were the acceptable material build-up is created, which
same. compensates for the impact conditions and minimizes
The optimization started at the top of the chute in wear on the discharge conveyor.
order to increase the material speed. The first step was The example in Figure 23 shows the optimization of
to match the upper chute section to the parabolic a chute using a rock box instead of an impact plate. The
trajectory as closely as possible considering the rock box shall minimize wear inside the chute and guide
geometrical limits. the material flow in the right direction.

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 (a)
Figure 23. Improvement of a chute with rock box to eliminate functional problems and wear: (a) before improvement and (b)
after improvement
In Figure 23a, a first design can be seen, where the
material creates an unnecessarily large material build-up.
Due to this material build-up wear is transferred
from the upper part of the chute to the lower part. Also,
the material flow is eccentric as well as not being
concentrated in a uniform stream. As the impact is not
centred on the discharge belt, the result is the
problematic misalignment of the belt.
The re-design of the rock box (Fig. 23b) leads to a
smaller material build up, as well as compact and even
material flow and therefore a centred belt loading.
Chute discharge sections not designed specifically
and exactly according to the requirements of a system are
consistently the reason for misalignment of the discharge
belt, which in turn creates big problems during operation.
5. CONCLUSION
Transfer stations between belt conveyors are commonly
occurring throughout industry. They are components of
conveyor systems where problems such as noise and
dust emissions, wear and plugging can easily occur. The
designing engineer must take these factors into
consideration and adopt designs to avoid these problems
occurring in field operations. Repairs later in the
stockyard or onsite are very expensive and sometimes
even impossible.
In earlier days the chute design was based in most
cases on rule of thumb or on the experience of the
designing engineer. Nowadays, computer simulation
programs are used and assist the designer in creating an
optimum transfer chute which guarantees a safe and
trouble free operation.
Simulation programs like the hereby adopted DE –
Programs of DEMsolutions and Hustrulid Technologies,
Inc. allow the design and commissioning of entire chute
systems on the computer prior to installation.
The most significant influence of a useful simulation
result is the exact knowledge of the input parameters.
Investigations and tests in the laboratory are essential to
get the right input parameters, allowing for accurate
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(b)
calibration of the modelling software. It is crucial that
these laboratory tests be undertaken for every bulk
material and chute system in isolation so as to avoid
problems after the installation of a designed system.
Presently the experimental testing procedures
undertaken to obtain values for these parameters are not
fully independent.
It is the focus of current efforts to develop
standardized measurement techniques, where all the
parameters can be measured independently of each
other. There still remains a large amount of research
work necessary to achieve this goal.
As long as the parameters can not be measured
independently, some of the parameters must be
estimated, which can lead to results not approaching the
reality. This is undesirable.
Nevertheless, a good way to get results that
approach reality are the comparison studies between
laboratory tests and computer simulations like the
examples presented here in section three of the paper.
Taking this approach, the accurate calibration of the
modelling software is possible and results are
significant and meaningful.
In the near future, it is anticipated that standardized
methods for parameter investigations will be available.
Combined with test simulations all unnecessary risk in
chute design and simulations will be eliminated.
The results of the presented chute simulations and
optimizations are meanwhile confirmed by the trouble-
free operation of constructed installations which are
already in operation for a period of several years.
REFERENCES
[1] Nordell, L.K.: Palabora installs curved transfer chute
in hard rock to minimize belt cover wear, Bulk
Solids Handling, Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 739-743, 1994.
[2] Zhao, D., Nezami, E.G. and Hashash Y.: Three-
dimensional discrete element simulation for
granular materials, Engineering Computations, Vol.
23, No. 7, pp. 749-770, 2006.
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[3] Qiu, X. and Kruses, D.: Design of conveyor chute
using discrete element method, in: Proceedings of
the Fourth U.S. National Congress on
Computational Mechanics, 08-10.08.1997, San
Francisco, USA.
[4] Herzog, M.: Untersuchungen zur Verbesserung der
Schüttgutübergabe zwischen Gurtförderern, Thesis,
Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, 1999.
[5] Kisters, P. and Gröger, T.: Modifikation einer
übergabeschurre zur Staubreduzierung mit hilfe der
diskrete elemente simulation, in: Proceedings of the
10. Fachtagung Schüttgutfördertechnik 2005, 28-
29.09.2005, Magdeburg, Germany.
[6] Nordell, L.K..: Particle flow modeling: Transfer
chutes and other applications, in: Proceedings of
the BELTCON 9 International Material Handling
Conference, 1997, Johannesburg, South Africa.
[7] Roberts, A.W., Wiche, J.S., Ilic, D.D. and Plint, S.:
Flow dynamics and wear considerations in transfer
chute design, in: Proceedings of the ICBMH’04 –
8th International Conference on Bulk Materials
Storage, Handling & Transportation, 05-
08.07.2004, Wollongong, Australia.
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ДЕМ – СИМУЛАЦИЈА ТРАНСФЕР ЛЕВКОВА
КОД ТРАНСПОРТЕРА
Франц Кеслер, Михаел Пренер
Трансфер станице код транспортера представљају
критичне делове на путањи материјала. Материјал
се води од долазног транспортера до следећег
транспортног система. Ово се реализује помоћу
трансфер левкова, који треба да се тако пројектују
да се смањи прашина, бука и хабање. Један од
главних задатака у процесу пројектовања трансфер
левка је да се избегну блокаде на местима где је ток
материјала ометен или закрчен услед нагомилавања
материјала у левку.
Истраживања која воде ка правилном
пројектовању левка су спроведена
експерименталним испитивањима у лабораторији
као и помоћу рачунарских програма за симулацију.
Рад приказује сваки појединачни корак ка добијању
оптималног решења конструкције трансфер левка и
то за сваку примену.
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